Method of estimating acoustic or thermal leakge of an object and method of estimating transmission loss of an object, using a sound focusing mechanism

ABSTRACT

A sound focusing mechanism for generating a focused source of sound, which can be used to identify the transmission loss of an object or identify areas of acoustic or thermal leakage is disclosed. The sound focusing mechanism includes a housing having at least one wall formed from a material having high sound insulating properties. A sound generating device for generating a sound is located with a central cavity within the housing. An actuator assembly is operatively connected to the sound generating device for selectively operating the sound generating device for selectively operating the sound generating device. The wall is configured to limit the transmission of the sound there through such that a focused beam or pulse sound is emitted from the mechanism through the opening.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/682,914 filed Oct. 14, 2003 which in turnrelates to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.60/479,189 filed on Jun. 18, 2003. The disclosures of both applicationsare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sound focusing mechanism thatgenerates a high sound pressure level, denoted throughout this documentas decibel, and highly focused signal that is used in connection withsound proofing to locate areas of acoustic leakage. The sound focusingmechanism is also used in connection with the determination of thetransmission loss of an object. The present invention is also directedto a method of locating acoustic leakage points in an object in order toimprove sound proofing by focusing a high decibel sound at a desiredlocation on an object then measuring the sound transmission loss at oneof more locations. Since apertures in a wall, window or door can equallyinfluence the thermal rating of the wall, window or door the focusingtube is also an efficient method for locating thermal leakage of such anobject, as well as estimating its thermal efficiency.

2. Description of Related Art

Hearing noise from adjacent rooms, pipes, outside the dwelling or anadjacent dwelling is something that many people are disturbed by on adaily basis. At a minimum, it can be distracting. The increasingInternational Code council mandates on acoustics in hospitals,classrooms, etc demonstrate the increasing realization that noise canhave negative effects from ability to retain read information to generalhealth and ability to sleep. Many spend large sums of money to reducethe overall transmission of sound into and/or through their dwellings inorder to create quieter and calmer surroundings. This, however, does notalways produce the desired results. In many circumstances, the person(s)performing the acoustic modifications to the structure does not provideadequate sound insulation or improperly installs the same such that thedisturbing noises are still transmitted through the structure.

The problem encountered by many of these installers is that it is oftendifficult to determine the location of acoustic leaks, or quicklyestimate the configuration of a wall without opening up the wall. Todate, an economical and easily portable device to permit someone toeasily determine the transmission loss of a wall, floor, or other roomperimeter structures or simply locate acoustic leaks in the same so thatit is possible to determine what are the optimum actions to be taken toincrease the transmission loss of a wall, ceiling, window, pipe, orother structural element has not been developed.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In response to the foregoing challenges, an innovative sound focusingmechanism has been developed for generating a focused source of sound,which can be used to identify the transmission loss of an object, aswell as identify areas of acoustic or thermal leakage. In accordancewith the present invention, the sound focusing mechanism includes ahousing. The housing includes at least one wall formed from a materialhaving sound insulating properties. The at least one wall defines acentral cavity. One end of the cavity is open. The sound focusingmechanism includes a sound generating device for generating a highdecibel sound, which is located within the central cavity. An actuatorassembly is operatively connected to the sound generating device forselectively operating the sound generating device. The at least one wallis configured to limit the transmission of the generated sound such thata focused beam of sound is emitted from the mechanism through theopening, thus focusing the sound through this opening.

The sound focusing mechanism includes an activation controller. Thiscontroller can be a simple button, switch or a computer controller. Thecomputer controller selectively controls the operation of the soundgenerating device. The computer controller modifies the decibel level ofthe sound generated by the noise generating device, or controls theduration of the sound generated by the sound generating device, orcontrols the frequency, or controls the type of signal.

An innovative method of determining the sound transmission loss of anobject has also been developed. The method includes generating a soundwith a predetermined decibel level using a sound focusing mechanism anddirecting the source of sound on one side of the object such that thetransmission of sound is substantially localized onto the object.Directing the source of sound on one side of the object may include thepositioning of the opening in the sound focusing mechanism at a desiredlocation, such as a suspected acoustic leakage point at the electricaloutlet of a wall, on the object. The decibel level of sound may then bemeasured on an opposite side of the object. Alternatively, the sound canbe measured on the same side within a surrounding box or otherenclosure, or a space of low background noise. The measured decibellevel may then be compared to the predetermined decibel level toestimate the transmission loss for the object. Based upon the estimatedtransmission loss, it is possible to estimate, determine and/or identifymeasures for improving the transmission loss of the object based uponthe measured transmission loss. Such measures may include addingadditional layers of sound insulating material, caulking a thinaperature, or building an acoustic enclosure around an electricaloutlet.

In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated that thesound focusing mechanism may be repositioned at various locations on theobject to identify variations in transmissions loss within the object.

In the process of improving the acoustic efficacy of a window, it wasnoted that the thermal rating was equally improved. Using a similarmethod in estimating thermal degradation based on aperture associatedacoustic rating loss, a similar thermal correlation was determined.

An innovative method of locating acoustic leakage points along an objecthas also been developed. Once acoustic leakage points have beenidentified, it is possible to propose measures including but not limitedto installing additional layers of sound insulating material over or ina hole for reducing leakage, or acoustically sealing a compromise in anacoustic installation, such as a wall outlet, or a space between a walland the floor. The method further includes generating a sound having apredetermined decibel level using a sound focusing mechanism anddirecting the source of sound into the object such that the sound issubstantially localized on the object. The decibel level of soundemitted from the object is then measured at various locations along theobject. From the measured levels, areas of higher noise emission areidentified.

-   -   Whereas the Transmission Loss (TL) is a result of its        transmission loss coefficient, τ. That is,

TL=−10 log(τ)

-   -   An aperture degrades the transmission loss by effecting its        composite rating, or noting that there are 1, 2, . . ., n        elements

τ_(C)=τ₁ W ₁ /W+τ ₂ W ₂ /W+ . . . +τ _(n) W _(n) /W

where W is the wall are in square feet or meters. Then the compositetransmission loss is

TL _(C)=−10 log(τ_(C))

Using the same formula that demonstrates how apertures in a wallinfluence its acoustic performance, a good estimate of the thermaldegradation caused by an aperture, as well as a method of locating thepoint of the thermal leakage, is provided by the focusing tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in conjunction with the followingdrawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a sound focusing mechanism in accordancewith the present invention having an actuator assembly in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the sound focusing mechanism ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is bottom view of the sound focusing mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a sound focusing mechanism in accordancewith the present invention having an actuator assembly in accordancewith another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a sound focusing mechanism in accordancewith the present invention having an actuator assembly in accordancewith another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a partial schematic view of the layers of high soundtransmission class material forming the walls of the sound focusingmechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

A sound focusing mechanism 1 in accordance with the present inventionwill now be described in greater detail in connection with FIGS. 1-5.The sound focusing mechanism 1 described herein will be used todetermine the transmission loss of an object such as a wall, ceiling,door, window or other structure. The sound focusing mechanism 1 producesa sound that can be substantially localized onto or into an object. Thesound focusing mechanism 1 will be used to locate and identify acousticor thermal leakage points in a structure, including but not limited towalls, ceilings, floors, pipes, windows, etc. In either case, themechanism 1 provides the individual with a simple means for locatingareas of poor transmission loss or areas of high acoustic leakage sothat possible remedies be readily identified and localized.Additionally, this can be performed using the focusing tube and not alarge speaker and the reading taken using a single microphone and not anarray. From the determination of the leakage points or transmissionloss, it is possible for the person or persons performing acousticmodifications on the structure to identify certain remedies for reducingleakage and improve transmission loss.

The sound focusing mechanism 1 includes a cylindrically shaped containeror housing 10 having an end wall 11, which can include an access panel15 for providing access to a sound generating device 20 and a possiblebattery, and at least one side wall 12. A passageway or channel orcavity 13 is formed by the end wall 11 and the at least one side wall12. The housing 10 further includes an opening 14 formed in one end.Alternatively, the container 10 may take various shapes and formsincluding but not limited to a cylindrical shaped container, a boxshaped container or any other shape having an opening formed such thatopening can be positioned against a desired surface so that a highdecibel level of sound can be focused onto the surface.

Located within the housing 10 is a sound generating device 20. Theaccess panel 15 provides access to the sound generating device 20 andbattery assembly, which may be combined as a single unit. The accesspanel 15 can be threadably attached to the housing 10 or snap fit intothe housing 10. The sound generating device 20 is preferably locatedwithin the interior of the housing or container 10 on the end wall 11.The location of the sound generating device 20 may vary within thechannel 13 provided the sound emitted from the sound generating device20 is directed toward the opening 14 in the container 10. The soundgenerating device 20 can be a noisemaker that is capable of emitting asound of 110 db. Alternatively, the noisemaker can emit various soundemitting sound pressure levels including those above and/or below 110db. Additionally, the sound generating device 20 can be capable ofemitting a single high frequency sound or low frequency sound. The noisegenerating device 20 can be capable of being programmed to emitdifferent types of sound, such as a pure tone, white noise or sweepingthrough specified frequencies depending on the desired testingconditions. The frequency range can include a range of 50 Hz to 5,000 Hzin accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)E90 standard discussed below. A computer controller 40 can be used toperform this function.

The sound generating device 20 generates a known type of high decibelsound. The container 10 is designed to direct the sound towards theopening 14 and outwardly there from. While a certain amount of sound istransmitted through the walls 12 of the housing 10, this arrangementsubstantially localizes the transmission of the sound into a desiredarea in the object. The container 10 is formed from a material with ahigh STC rating. STC stands for “sound transmission class” and is asingle number rating derived from measured values of sound transmissionloss in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM) E90 standards. The transmission loss through an object is ameasure of its effectiveness in preventing the sound power incident onone side of the object from being transmitted through it and radiated onthe other side. The STC provides a single number estimate of an object'sperformance for certain common sound reduction applications. In general,materials having low STC ratings have very low transmission losses. Forexample, with a wall having a field tested STC rating between 20-22,most sentences are clearly understood by an individual in another roomon the other side of that wall. With a STC rating between 25-27, manyphrases and some sentences can be understood without straining to hear.With a STC rating between 30-32, it is possible to clearly hear andunderstand some individual words and occasional phrases. With a STCrating between 35-37, medium decibel level speech is audible andoccasional words are understood. With a STC rating between 40-42, loudspeech and music is audible. With a STC rating between 45-47, loudspeech is audible but requires straining to hear. Loud music can beheard and may be disturbing. With a STC rating between 50-52, loudspeech is essentially inaudible. Music can be heard faintly but bassfrequencies may be audible and possibly an annoyance. With STC ratingsabove 55, music may be heard faintly such that bass frequencies “thump.”Loud low frequency music may still be heard very faintly if played loudwith a STC rating of 60 or more. Most air-borne noise sources areeffectively blocked to eliminate noise with ratings above 65.

The housing or container 10 can be formed from a material having a highSTC, such as for example, a one pound per square foot or greater loadedvinyl. The STC rating for the container 10 needs to be at least 30. TheSTC rating is preferably 40 or greater, but rarely higher than 60. Thesound generating device 20 can be calibrated such that the sound emittedfrom the opening 14 of the housing 10 can be calibrated using a decibel(“db”) meter, or spectrum analyzer. In one form, the high STC materialmay be formed as sheets 2. The sheets 2 may be stacked or laminatedtogether, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, to produce the desired STC ofcontainer 10 so that sound transmission through the end wall 111 and theat least one side wall 12 is minimized so that noise only exits thecontainer 10 from the opening 14. Each layer 2 increases the overall STCof the housing 10. It is contemplated that a certain amount of soundwill be transmitted through the walls 11 and 12 of the container 10, butat a significantly lower decibel than the sound exiting the opening 14.Alternatively, the container walls 11 and 12 may be molded from the highSTC material, where the thickness of the wall is determined by thedesired level of transmission loss. Using a molding process, it ispossible to produce containers 10 having varying shapes and sizes.

The sound focusing mechanism 1 further includes an actuator assembly 30.The actuator assembly 30 is operatively connected to the noisegenerating device 20 to selectively operate the noise generating device20. The actuator assembly 30 can take various forms. The actuatorassembly 30 can be a simple actuator knob or button 31 located on theend wall 11 on the outside of the container 10, as shown in FIG. 1. Withsuch an arrangement, the operator merely presses or operates the knob togenerate a sound for a small duration of time or a continuous sound oftype, such as a pure tone, or broadband noise. When a continuous soundis produced, it is contemplated that a subsequent operation of theactuator assembly 30 is necessary to discontinue the sound. While thisarrangement, produces a compact sound focusing mechanism 1, the use ofsuch an actuator assembly 30 does present one notable drawback. Inparticular, the tester must return to the mechanism 1 every time it isdesirable to produce a pulse of sound.

The actuator assembly 30 can be capable of remote activation. Theactuator assembly 30 can include a remote control 32 that is hard wiredto the container 10, as shown in FIG. 4. While such an arrangementpermits remote activation, the distance the operator can travel from themechanism 1 is limited. A radio controlled remote control 33 isillustrated in FIG. 5. With such an arrangement, the operator is free totravel away from the mechanism 1 while operating the mechanism 1 at anylocation.

The sound focusing mechanism 1 may include a computer controller 40. Thecontroller 40 permits the operator to vary the signal type, duration anddecibel level pattern of the sound generating device 20. The computercontroller 40 can be used in connection with any of the above-describedactuator assemblies 30. The sound generating device 20 is operativelyconnected to the controller 40. Furthermore, the actuator assembly 30 isoperatively connected to the controller 40 to control the operation ofthe device 20 and/or the controller 40.

The operation of the sound focusing mechanism 1 in connection with thedetermination of the transmission loss of an object will now bedescribed in greater detail. The measurement of the transmission losswill be described in connection with the measurement of the transmissionloss of a wall. The method is not intended to be limited to themeasurement of the transmission loss of a wall. The sound focusingmechanism 1 and the method described herein can be used to estimate thetransmission loss of almost any object.

Prior to locating the opening 14 of the sound focusing mechanism 1against a wall of a structure, the sound focusing mechanism 1 can beoperated to calibrate the decibel level of the sound generated by thesound generating device 20. A decibel meter, or spectrum analyzer, canbe used to take such a measurement. Once the decibel level of the soundgenerating device 20 is determined, the opening 14 of the container 10is located against the wall or ceiling or the mechanism 1 can simply beheld in place by an assistant. The container housing 10 can include sometype of removable adhesive or other fastener or support stand or bracketto temporarily locate and secure the mechanism 1 at a desired locationon the wall. The device 20 is then operated using the actuator assembly30. The sound emitted by the device 20 is substantially localized orfocused into the wall. The decibel meter is then positioned on theopposite side of the wall, at ideally the same distance from the deviceas the calibration reading. The decibel level on the opposite side ofthe wall is measured using the decibel meter to determine thetransmission loss. For example, the sound focusing mechanism 1 has anoise generating device 20 generating 110 db(A). The measured decibellevel on the opposite side of the wall is 40 db(A). The transmissionloss of the wall is estimated as 70. The transmission loss of, forexample, an opening, such as for example, for an electrical socket onthe wall can also be determined in a similar manner. The opening 14 ofthe sound focusing mechanism 1 is located on top of the electricalsocket, the decibel level on the opposite side of the wall is thendetermined using the decibel meter. For example, using the same soundfocusing mechanism 1 generating 110 db, the measured decibel level onthe opposite side of the wall behind the socket is 51 db(A). Thetransmission loss of the socket is 59 db. When this transmission loss ofthe socket is compared to the other portions of the wall, it can be seenthat additional sound proofing measures, such as acoustically wrappingthe outlet, are needed in order for the wall at the outlet location toreach the same transmission loss as the wall where there is no outlet.This is especially useful because it is possible to accurately determinethe proper thickness and necessary STC rating of a material to improvethe transmission loss. As such, it is possible to propose measures forimproving transmission loss that are not in excess of desired levels,which can reduce the costs associated with sound proofing. The abovedescribed process can be repeated for almost any object located in awall, ceiling, floor, etc.

The sound focusing mechanism 1 can also be used to determine the overallacoustic path of an object (e.g., a room), inclusive of flanking. Thesound focusing mechanism 1 can be located in the center of a room andactivated such that a high decibel sound is produced. The decibel metercan then be located in an adjacent room. The decibel level is thenrecorded. The decibel meter is then positioned at various points in theroom such as the walls, the floor and the ceiling. The decibel level isthen recorded in the adjacent room with the sound mechanism 1 positionedat each of these locations. By comparing these values with the measuredvalue in the center of the room, it is possible to determine the area,surface or surfaces with the weakest transmission loss. The comparativereadings give an estimate of the acoustic path of the sound from oneroom to another. With these readings it is possible to propose measuresfor improving transmission loss. For example, based upon the comparativereadings, it may be desirable to add a layer of sound insulation to thefloor or the ceiling, place a silencer in a duct, or caulk at thewall-floor interface.

Should it not be possible to access the other side of the wall, ceiling,floor, window, door, etc. acoustic leakage points and an estimate of thefield STC can still be determined. For example, sound from soundfocusing mechanism 1 can be directed at a portion of the object believedto have no leakage and reflected sound can be measured with the decibelmeter, or spectrum analyzer. Then the sound focusing mechanism 1 can bemoved to a different location on the object and the reflected sound canagain be measured. This process may be repeated. If, at any location,the reflected sound measured by the decibel meter is reduced compared toother locations, the reduction may be caused by acoustic leakage. If themeasurements are made in an area with low background noise, then themeasurements may be made in the open. However, if the measurements needto be made in a noisier or reflective environment, the sound focusingmechanism, and/or the decibel meter may have at least portions locatedin a box or other enclosure to determine the efficacy of an acousticinstallation, locate acoustic leakage points, or estimate the field STC.

The operation of the sound focusing mechanism 1 in connection with thedetermination of the acoustic leakage points of an object will now bedescribed in greater detail. The method of operating the sound focusingmechanism 1 to determine acoustic leakage points will be described inconnection with the testing of a pipe. The method is not intended to beso limited. The method and sound focusing mechanism 1 may be used on anyobject or structure where is it possible that localized acoustic leakagepaths exist. For example, the method can be used to locate breaks insound insulation in a wall or ceiling or floor or pipe wrapping or ductwrapping.

Often pipes are acoustically wrapped in order to prohibit the sound ofrunning water to be heard. It is difficult after an installation todetermine if the acoustic pipe wrapping, was completed so that therunning water noise will now be inaudible. The opening 14 of the soundfocusing mechanism 1 may be located on top of a pipe end or drain. Themechanism 1 is then operated. The high decibel sound is then directedthrough the pipe. The housing 12 permits the sound to be substantiallylocalized into the pipe so that the user can determine any acousticleakage. If the acoustic pipe wrapping installation was completedproperly, the sound generated by the mechanism 1 will be barely audible.If there is a location in the wrapping where the seal is not complete,then the noise will be very audible. By taking the decibel meter andslowly moving it along the pipe wrapping, the decibel meter will peak atthe location where there is an acoustic leakage.

It will be appreciated that numerous modifications to and departuresfrom the preferred embodiments described above will occur to thosehaving skill in the art. It is often difficult to allow a person tounderstand just how much noise a material can stop. For example, thesound focusing mechanism 1 described above can be used to illustrate theSTC rating of a particular material. This is especially useful when theacoustic installer is demonstrating the high STC rating of a particularmaterial to a prospective client. A simple illustration can be performedusing the mechanism 1. The mechanism 1 can be positioned against thefloor and activated such that the persons in the vicinity can see howmuch a high decibel sound is reduced, or a good demonstration of theamount of transmission loss is provided by the material forming thecontainer 10. The mechanism 1 can then be lifted off the floor so thatthose in the vicinity can hear the difference. Thus, it is intended thatthe present invention covers the modifications and variations of theinvention, provided they come within the scope of the appended claimsand their equivalents.

1. A method of determining the sound transmission loss of an object,comprising: generating and directing a source of focused sound having apredetermined decibel level on the object such that the transmission ofsound is substantially localized on the object; measuring the decibellevel of sound after the sound interacts with the object; and comparingthe predetermined decibel level to the measured decibel level todetermine the transmission loss.
 2. The method of determining the soundtransmission loss of an object according to claim 1, wherein the sourceof sound is generated by a sound focusing mechanism whereby the soundfocusing mechanism comprises: a housing, wherein the housing includes atleast one wall which defines a central cavity, wherein one end of thehousing having an opening formed therein; a sound generating device forgenerating a sound is located within the central cavity; and an actuatorassembly operatively connected to the sound generating device forselectively operating the sound generating device, wherein the walllimits the transmission of the sound generated by the sound generatingdevice such that a focused sound is emitted from the mechanism throughthe opening.
 3. The method of determining the sound transmission loss ofan object according to claim 1, wherein the directing of the source ofsound on the object includes positioning the opening in the soundfocusing mechanism at each of a plurality of locations on the object. 4.The method of determining the sound transmission loss of an objectaccording to claim 1, further comprising: identifying variations intransmission loss within the object.
 5. The method of determining thesound transmission loss of an object according to claim 1, furthercomprising: determining measures for improving transmission loss of theobject based upon the measured transmission loss.
 6. A method ofdetermining thermal loss of an object comprising: performing the methodof claim 1 and correlating the dB loss to the thermal loss.
 7. Themethod of determining the sound transmission loss of an object accordingto claim 1, wherein the measuring occurs on a side of the objectopposite from the side at which the sound is directed.
 8. The method ofdetermining the sound transmission loss of an object according to claim1, wherein: the directing occurs at a plurality of locations on theobject such that the transmission of sound is substantially localized oneach of the plurality of locations on the object; and the measuringoccurs at a plurality of corresponding locations.
 9. A method oflocating acoustic leakage points along an object, comprising: generatinga focused sound having a predetermined decibel level; directing thefocused sound into the object such that transmission of sound issubstantially localized on the object; measuring a decibel level ofsound transmitted through the object; and identifying areas of theobject where sound transmission is higher than sound transmissionthrough other areas of the object.
 10. The method of locating acousticleakage points along an object according to claim 9, wherein the sourceof sound is generated by a sound focusing mechanism whereby the soundfocusing mechanism comprises: a housing, wherein the housing includes atleast one wall which defines a central cavity, wherein one end of thehousing having an opening formed therein; a sound generating device forgenerating a sound is located within the central cavity; and an actuatorassembly operatively connected to the sound generating device forselectively operating the sound generating device, wherein the walllimits the transmission of the sound generated by the noise generatingdevice such that a focused sound is emitted from the mechanism throughthe opening.
 11. A method of locating acoustic leakage points accordingto claim 9, wherein the directing of the source of sound on the objectincludes positioning the opening in the sound focusing mechanism at eachof a plurality of locations on the object.
 12. A method of locatingacoustic leakage points according to claim 9, further comprising:identifying variations in transmission loss within the object.
 13. Amethod of locating acoustic leakage points according to claim 9, furthercomprising: determining measures for improving transmission loss of theobject based upon the measured transmission loss.
 14. A method ofdetermining thermal loss of an object comprising performing the methodof claim 9 and relating the result of the identifying to thermal loss.15. A method of locating acoustic leakage points according to claim 9,wherein the measuring occurs on a side of the object opposite from theside at which the sound is directed.
 16. A method of locating acousticleakage points according to claim 9, wherein: the directing occurs at aplurality of locations on the object such that the transmission of soundis substantially localized on each of the plurality of locations on theobject; and the measuring occurs at a plurality of correspondinglocations.
 17. The method of locating acoustic leakage points along anobject according to claim 10, wherein the opening in the sound focusingmechanism is positioned adjacent an opening in the object.
 18. A methodof locating acoustic leakage points along an object, comprising:generating a focused sound having a predetermined decibel level;directing the focused sound into the object such that transmission ofsound is substantially localized on the object; measuring a decibellevel of sound transmitted through the object at various locations alongthe object; and identifying areas of the object where sound transmissionis higher than sound transmission through other areas of the object,wherein directing the source of sound into the object includespositioning the opening in the sound focusing mechanism adjacent anopening in the object.
 19. A method of locating acoustic leakage pointsalong an object, comprising: generating a focused sound having apredetermined decibel level; directing the focused sound into the objectsuch that transmission of sound is substantially localized on theobject; measuring a decibel level of sound transmitted back from theobject knowing that it is what did not pass through the object atvarious locations along the object; and identifying areas of the objectwhere reflection/refraction is higher reflection/refraction throughother areas of the object, wherein directing the source of sound intothe object includes positioning the opening in the sound focusingmechanism adjacent an opening in the object.